User blog:John Pan/M207 Flak Razorback
M207 Flak Razorback Although NAU air superiority is nearly omnipresent, the Germans (and now, Europeans) know just how important it is for ground troops to have their own air defense. Stack on the American's obsessions for blowing enemy artillery and missiles out of the sky, and then ground-based anti-air seems to be very, very nice. Especially when it can keep up with an advancing column of tanks. Affectionately called the “Flakback”, a play on a (number of) positions in American football, the M207 is built off of the M205's chassis, making it lightweight, easy to transport, highly mobile, and thanks to its weaponry, can chew up any aircraft or missile. Crew Composition *Driver *CIWS Operator All occupants sit in AMAP-MPS blast-protected seats to absorb the shock energy of a blast. Sensory The Flakback is equipped with acoustic threat (enemy) detection, and has a powerful E/O sensor block for its main gun. Laser and Radar rangefinders are both present. Finally, the Goalkeeper Mk.II gets its full Ku-band and X-band radar suite. The driver gets day/night cameras in addition to the standard bulletproof-glass peepholes. A GPS Blue-force-tracker is standard. Upgrades Goalkeeper E/O optics In order to make use of the Goalkeeper's powerful GAU-8/A when there is no fear of enemy aircraft, the CIWS can mount a nightvision-capable TV camera, complete with thermal imaging and laser rangefinders. Allows for effective use of the weapon's Avenger on ground targets. Armament Goalkeeper Mk. II CIWS (1) The Goalkeeper Mark Two is the same basic CIWS that the first version was, but the Mark II gets improved fire control via a Ku-band search radar and an X-band targeting AESA, an E/O sensor block, and laser and radar rangefinders, and with better ammunition (AP-DU-ER and AHEAD-ER) can engage targets at 50% greater distance. On the ground, that translates into extensive anti-aircraft, anti-missile, and even anti-vehicle firepower. The M207 can cram in the whole deal, plus two 900-round magazines that take up the vast majority of the vehicle's internal space. The entire weapon system is encased in its own unmanned turret. Upgrades SL-AIM-9Z (8) Found in two turret-side 4-missile pods, the surface-launched variant of the AIM-9Z Evolved Sidewinder is just as potent as the air-to-air version, packing the same improved ECCM-assisted IR seeker, dual-grain rocket motor, improved guidance fins, and “Box-Office” vector thruster. When fired from the Flak Razorback, the missile can engage enemy aircraft at a maximum of 35km. Protection Fitted with AMAP armor, the M207, just like the rest of its chassis-family, has excellent protection from enemy projectiles. The base vehicle is has 14.5mm AP-I resistant armor. The extra frontal AMAP-B modules protects the M207 from 40mm APFSDS rounds. Shape charge weapons are blocked by AMAP-P on the front and side, anti-tank cluster munitions can be negated via AMAP-R modules on the turret's roof, and anti-tank mines are blunted by the AMAP-M on the belly. Last but not least, it has an AMAP-ADS array to blows up guided missiles. The crew compartment gets AMAP-L to reduce the brunt of any penetrating projectiles. Upgrades ElRA ElRA, or Electro-Reactive Armor, is and advanced from of projectile-defeating reactive armor. Found as bolt-on-and-plug-in tiles, ElRA defeats penetrating projectiles by vaporizing them. Yes, vaporizing. It consists of two copper plates, insulating foam, a voltage convertor, and a direct power line to the vehicle. Once a projectile penetrates the outer copper plate and closes the circuit between the two copper plates, 60,000 volts of electricity is instantly dumped into object, vaporizing it outright. ElRA vastly increases the M207's survivability. Mobility The M207 is powered by a 12.0-liter Direct-Injected twin-turbocharged diesel V8, mated to an electric generator. Pumping out 800 horsepower, the M207 transfers the power to four 200-hp hub motors in each of the drive sprockets, moving the 30-ton vehicle at 60 kilometers per hour on paved roads, and, thanks to its torsion bar suspension, 40 kmph on rough terrain. The vehicle has IR-opaque material lining the engine block, and its exhaust is both muffled and cooled. Upgrades None. Category:Blog posts